Seventeen-year-old Anita is left rootless and tormented by feelings of guilt after a series of traumatic losses. When a letter is discovered amongst her father's papers, she vows to discover the truth about the Irish grandmother she had thought long dead, but her initial search leads nowhere.
Eleven years later, against the background of a precarious life as an artist in 1980s' London, and the Troubles of Northern Ireland, an unexpected gift finally sets Anita on her quest to unravel family secrets and betrayals. As she uncovers the story of Liza, her maternal grandmother, she comes to understand how unhealed wounds have been passed down through generations of women in her family. A baby stolen at birth, lives torn apart by loss - she must heal the broken line of her maternal lineage.
The author has a gift for making her story telling compelling and empathetic on subjects that can often be painful.
| ISBN: | 9780954011765 |
| Publication date: | 31st July 2025 |
| Author: | Linda Hartley |
| Publisher: | Elmdon Books |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Primary Genre | Historical Fiction |
| Other Genres: |
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A gentle, time-spanning story linking London, the atmospheric Northumbrian coast and Northern Ireland’s Troubles, where family secrets and memories link generations.
This is a beautifully written story that spans generations and time periods, blending love, loss, and the lingering impact of the past. The main character, Nita, is haunted by the loss of her first love, and her life never quite fits back together again. The novel moves between Bohemian London, the wild and windswept Northumbrian coastline, and the unrest of Northern Ireland’s Troubles. Each place mirrors Nita’s own inner turmoil and adds depth to her emotional journey.
At its heart, the book is a family mystery that gradually unfolds through different timelines, connecting three generations. It started off slowly for me, but once the story found its rhythm, it became increasingly gripping. Most of the story unfolds through Nita’s artistic eye, the prose often mirrors her creative style, impressionistic, sensitive, and atmospheric .... Read Full Review
A story of love, loss, cruelty, grief and healing too. Beautifully written yet devistating on the the otherhand. Tissues should be included when you buy this book.
Beautifully written and a love story that on the other hand is so devistating too. The summer of '69 (makes me think of Bryan Adams song). This is a story of love and loss, cruelty by people, grief and ultimately healing too.
The way the past and events shape who we are and how we love and piecing together the jigsaw of the mystery of the past.... Read Full Review
Available on Amazon. Seventeen-year-old Anita is left rootless and tormented by feelings of guilt after a series of traumatic losses.
The Broken Line features in the following genres: Family Drama, Historical Fiction, Modern and Contemporary Fiction
Paperback. Not Available.
The Broken Line was written by Linda Hartley and published by Elmdon Books
